Composition and method for enhancing wound healing

Abstract

The healing of wounds is enhanced by contacting the wound surfaces with a dressing of D-glucose polysaccharide obtained by hydrolysis of starch containing ascorbic acid, collagen type I and alpha-tocopherol acetate. The collagen type I, and the ascorbic acid in the dressing are the typical chemotactic agents of neutrophils, fibroblasts and/or endothelial cells. These combinations can be present in the dressing as a gel. The composition material can be applied to the wound as a particulate material such as a powder, or as material such as a gel, paste, dispersion, solution or syrup. Wounds, in particular those occurring in the skin as second and third degree burns, stasis ulcers, trophic lesions, such as decubitus ulcers, severe cuts and abrasions which are commonly resistant to the natural healing process, may be treated with this composition. The application of this combination to open wounds greatly accelerates the rate of healing and reduces scarring. The invention includes an article useful in the therapy for surface wounds comprising the suspension of particles on non-adherent gauze and a bandage tape.

What is claimed in this invention is: 
     
       1. A composition for use in promoting the healing of surface wound, comprising a liquid aqueous suspension of vitamins C and E and collagen type I in admixture with a starch hydrolysate with a DE of less than 35 that exhibits a chemotactic effect on fibroblasts or endothelial cells, wherein the collagen type I is purified from human placenta and the collagen is present in the suspension at a concentration of about 0.2 to 2 μg/cm 2 . 
     
     
       2. A composition for use in promoting the healing of surface wound, comprising a liquid aqueous suspension of vitamins C and E and collagen type I, in admixture with a starch hydrolysate that has a DE less than 35 that exhibits a chemotactic effect on fibroblasts or endothelial cells, wherein the collagen type I is purified from human placenta and the collagen is in the suspension at a concentration of 2 μg/cm 2 . 
     
     
       3. The composition of claim 2 comprising a major amount of collagen type I and vitamin E in admixture with a minor amount of ascorbic acid, and starch hydrolysate having a DE less 35 as the suspension. 
     
     
       4. The composition of claim 3 wherein the composition is chemotactic for fibroblasts or endothelial cells. 
     
     
       5. The composition of claim 3 wherein vitamin E is present at about 8-10 μg/ml. 
     
     
       6. A composition for use in promoting the healing of surface wound, comprising of a liquid aqueous suspension collagen type I present in the suspension in the order of 0.2-2 ug/cm 2  ; the 1% ascorbic acid in the Matodextrin, NF as in admixture with a starch hydrolysate that has a DE less than 35 while alpha-tocopherol present in the order of 8-10 μg/ml in the suspension are agents that greatly accelerate the rate of wound healing and reduces scarring in this invention. 
     
     
       7. A method for promoting the healing of a surface wound, comprising the steps of: applying to the wound surface a therapeutically effective aqueous suspension of collagen type I and alpha-tocopherol in a mixture with a minor amount of ascorbic acid and starch hydrolysate having a low dextrose equivalent wherein said composition is chemotactic for fibroblasts or endothelial cells.   
     
     
       8. The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid aqueous suspension is applied repeatedly to the wound surface during the healing to effectively promote the healing process. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 1 wherein two or more vitamins are combined in the suspension. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 3 wherein the combined vitamins are vitamin C and vitamin E. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 1 wherein the vitamin C is present in the suspension in concentrations in the order of about 0.5-20 weight percent of the blended composition. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 1 wherein the concentration of vitamin E in the suspension is in the order of 8-10 μg/ml. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 1 wherein the suspension is the starch hydrolysated that has DE of less than about 35. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 1 wherein the suspension is the starch hydrolysate that has a DE between about 5 and about 25. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 1 wherein the starch hydrolysate has a DE between about 9 and about 13. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 1 wherein the suspension is gelled. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 1 wherein the collagen type I is present in the suspension in concentrations in the order of about 0.2 to 2 μg/cm 2 . 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 1 wherein the collagen type I is present in chemotactically effective amounts. 
     
     
       19. A method of treating skin wounds which comprises the stage of applying thereto an amount of starch hydrolysate having a DE of less than about 35 effective to form a film over said wound, the starch hydrolysate having a descriptive ratio of about 2 or greater, the descriptive ratio being the quotient obtained by dividing the sum of the percentages of saccharide, dry basis, having a degree of polymerization of 1 to 6 by the DE. 
     
     
       20. A method for promoting the healing of a surface wound, which method comprises, applying to the wound surface a suspension including starch hydrolysate having a low dextrose equivalent, collagen type I alpha-tocopherol, and a minor amount of vitamin C, where the collagen type I is chemotactic for fibroblasts or endothelial cells and is from human placenta wherein the suspension is applied repeatedly to the wound surface during the healing to effectively promote the healing process. 
     
     
       21. A method for promoting the healing of a surface wound, which method comprises, applying to the wound surface a composition including starch hydrolysate having a DE of less than 35, Collagen type I, vitamin C and alpha-tocopherol a number of times during the healing to effectively enhance the healing process wherein the amounts of alpha-tocopherol in the suspension is below that which produces an inhibition of the migration of the cells into the wound area, and is below that which produces undesirable local inflammation. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 15 wherein two or more vitamins are present in the suspension in the pH range of 4.5 to 5.5. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 16 wherein the starch hydrolysate having a DE of less than 35 as the suspending component. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 16 wherein the aqueous suspension is gelled.